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Country Focus: The frenzy for tickets to see Garth Brooks

THE MAN HIMSELF… Garth Brooks

IT HAS been something country music fans have been waiting for after he announced his retirement some 14 years ago.

As rumours began to surface that Garth Brooks was making a return to the stage and embarking on a world tour, I thought Ireland was surely going to be a stop-off as the country legend has some of the biggest fans up and down the Emerald Isle.

Journalists across the country were called to a very hushed press conference in Croke Park in Dublin four weeks ago where they spent some six hours waiting for Mr Brooks – he told frustrated press members that he forgot his passport and had to turn his own private plane around.

As he announced his two night appearance in Croke Park in Dublin on July 25 and 26, Twitter and Facebook soon erupted into a flurry.

But with only two dates and tens of thousands of fans all wanting one of the most coveted tickets in the last decade, there was no guarantee everyone would walk away happy.

But alas, I was one of the lucky ones.

After arriving into work half an hour early so I could log on to my Ticketmaster account on four different devices, the nerves started to build and I felt as if I was logging on to get my exam results.

I was put into a queue for around 45 minutes before I was accepted through to the next screen to enter my payment details to claim the three tickets I had ordered.

In the midst of this, it was announced that he would be playing a third date and on Monday morning it was revealed he added a fourth concert date.

I think it’s safe to say everyone will get their fair share of Mr Brooks.

I feel very sorry for those who paid hundreds of pounds for a ticket on Ebay and fan sites or lined up outside a Ticketmaster shop for days only to be left disappointed.

Although my seats won’t have the best view the country star in Croker, the atmosphere alone will make up for that.

FOR YOUR CHANCE TO WIN GARTH BROOKS TICKETS SEE THE FERMANAGH HERALD NEWSPAPER